Eat your heart out, Altoona. You've got a big, new movie theater with recliners, but Newton's Capitol II Theatre has something even more special than that and her name is Joy. Joy is a 4-year-old mini pig who serves as the theater's cinema mascot. “Seniors, kids, everyone knows Joy,” said Newton resident Kari Kennedy, 32. “And there are people who come down to see a movie just so they can see Joy, and people who come to this theater instead of another just to see Joy.”

As if I wasn't already excited about spending the summer in Des Moines, things just got more interesting. The 515 Alive Music Festival announced its 2016 lineup. Machine Gun Kelly, electronic duo Zeds Dead and hip-hop artist A$AP Ferg will be headlining. Tickets to 515 Alive, which cost $49 for general admission and $75 for VIP, are available via eventbrite.com. Find out more info on the event at 515alive.com.

"Are there any Nebraska fans here? I'll speak slower. I didn't recognize you guys without your mullets." Scott Siepker, the actor and filmmaker best known as the Iowa Nice Guy for a series of YouTube videos, explained to a crowd of folks in Iowa City how the Internet has changed the landscape for actors and other artists looking to stay in their home state. Bottom line: Iowa needs more artists to stay.